Hat Trick rallies for Mile win

Last updated: 12/11/05 3:37 PM

Hat Trick pulled out a nice win in the Mile
(Photo courtesy of Hong Kong Jockey Club)

Carrot Farm Ltd.’s HAT TRICK (Sunday Silence) came into Sunday’s
$1.8 million Hong Kong Mile (HK-G1) off a win in the Mile Championship
(Jpn-G1) over Kyoto’s firm course in Japan, and based on that
performance was sent off the second favorite behind local hero Bullish
Luck (Royal Academy). It proved to be good work on the part of
handicappers, as Hat Trick rallied widest of all coming out of the turn
to take his Hong Kong debut on the good to firm turf at Sha Tin
Racecourse by 1 1/4 lengths.

The Mile didn’t go off at its scheduled time, though, as the start
was delayed after a lead weight was discovered. All the runners were
unsaddled, the jockeys had to weight out again and the horses re-saddled
before taking their places in the starting gate. Dave’s Best (Bishop of
Cashel) proved best in the early running, taking the lead and setting
reasonable splits while Hat Trick and jockey Olivier Peslier settled
near the back of the 13-horse field. Two-time highweight Rakti (Polish
Precedent), who was making his final career start in the Mile, and
Bullish Luck were both not far off the pace, with the former taking up a
nice ground-saving spot on the rail.

Entering the turn for home, though, Peslier and Hat Trick came widest
of all while slingshotting their way into the stretch. Just a few taps
of the whip and Hat Trick found another gear, suddenly spurting away to
catch Dave’s Best before stopping the clock in 1:34 4/5.

“He’s really good,” Peslier said. “Today’s race was quite similar to
when he won the Mile Championship at Kyoto. I just wanted to take my
time and produce him on the outside because he is better going around
horses. I was always confident when he broke well and he quickened up
really very well.”

The Duke (Danehill) was never far back of the winner, and followed
him through the stretch to overtake Dave’s Best by a half-length at the
wire. Bullish Luck took the fourth spot and was followed by Court
Masterpiece (Polish Precedent), Asakusa Den’en (Singspiel [Ire]),
Perfect Partner (Quest for Fame [GB]), High Intelligent (Anabaa),
Wealthy (Danehill), Scintillation (Danehill), Rakti, Super Kid (Gaius)
and Town of Fionn (Snippets). Designed for Luck (Rahy) was an early
scratch.

“Peslier knows the horse’s nature and he can bring his potential very well,”
trainer Katsuhiko Sumii said. “His next start has not yet been determined, but
we will do our best every time we have a chance to race. It was a great race and
my horse showed very good performance in the stretch.”

Hat Trick started off his year in good fashion, continuing a two-race win
streak by adding the Sports Nippon Sho Kyoto Kimpai (Jpn-G3) and Tokyo Shimbun
Hai (Jpn-G3). His record now reads 13-8-0-0.